Pneumatic cleaner.



L 1. SMITH.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1916) Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.]. SMITH.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1916.

1,245,629. Patented Nov. 0, 1917,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

,Q hwaw UNITED STATES FATENT QFFTGE.

JOSEPH SMITH, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM FIRTH, OF CHESTNUT HILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof. v

This invention has reference to improvements in pneumatic cleaners, so called.

One ob ect of the invention is to so construct a pneumatic cleaning machine that by a slight adjustment of the mechanism it may be changed from a suction cleaning machine to a blowing machine.

Another object of the invention is to improve the machine with reference tocontrolling the direction in which air blasts can be delivered.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of the machine with reference to the mounting of the fan motor and its battery.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

The invention consists in the novel pneumatic cleaning machine as shall hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1, represents the improved machine in perspective.

Fig. 2, represents a plan view of parts of the same enlarged.

Fig. 3, represents a side elevation of the improved machine.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

As shown in the drawings 5, 5 indicate side frames having at their rear portions the vertical tubular columns 6, 6 each-having the laterally extendingair outlets 7 and 8 positioned as to height with relation, to

the machines or the points at which air currents are intended to be directed from said outlets. These frames 5, 5 are spaced apart by platform 9 to which said frames are attached and by the front member 10 having the passage 11 to which member 10 is secured the neck 12 of the transversely ex-- tending inlet mouth-piece 13 which maybe of suitable construction. These side frames 5, 5, about midway of their length have the stud shafts 14, 14 on which are journaled the wheels 15, 15 which wheels are of a diameter to so sustain the machine that the outlets 8, 8 and the inlet mouth piece13 are close to but clear of the roadway or floor on which the machine is operated.

Mounted on the upper portions of the side frames 5, 5 is the fan chamber 16 which is provided with the suction fan 17 on the shaft 18 of the electric motor 19. This mo tor is also mounted on said frames 5, 5 and is adapted to be operated by or from a secondary electric battery B which is slidably received by the platform 9, the spacing apart of the tubular columns 6, 6 being such as to readily permit the passage of said battery therebetween.

Passage 11 is connected with fan chamber 16 by means of the pipe 20 having in its wall the opening 21 furnished with the hinged door or closure 22 adapted, under certain conditions, to be sustained in the closed position by the spring latch 23. This door 22 is hinged to swing into the pipe 20 to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and, when in such position, acts as a damper toclose the passage 11 so that the action of fan 16 is to draw air inward through the opening 21 of said pipe 20.

At the upper ends of the columns 6, 6 is mounted the plate 24 having the openings 25 and 26, 26 the latter of which are in registry with said columns 6, 6 and are farnished with the slidable slotted damper plates 27 27 adapted to be adjusted to control the size of said openings 26, 26. At the upper end of fan chamber 16 is the swivel joint 28 in which is mounted one end of the elbow 29 the other end 30 of which is adapted to be swung into registry with either of the openings 26, 26 of plate 24 to deliver to either of the columns 6, 6. This end 30 of elbow 29 has thelatch 31 which is engaged beneath the curved lip 32 mount, ed on plate 24:. The dust or refuse receptacle 33 is adapted to slide into position. on the platform 9' partially between the columns 6, 6 and has at its upper end an opening adapted to register wit the opening 25 of plate24.

-Provision is made to move the machine Fig. 3. Fan 17 i operated by its motor to draw air inward through the mouthpiece 13 and such air, with dust, waste or refuse carried by the air will pass through the fan chamber 16 into the elbow pipe 29 and thence through the opening 25 of plate 2% to the receptacle 33. During such operation the machine may he moved about the floor which is under process of cleaning and, particularly, the machine may be moved along an aisle between two lines of looms spinning frames or other machines.

The machine is prepared for use a a blowing machine by releasing the door 22 from the latch 23 and swinging said door inwardto the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 the weight of this door 22 being suiiicient to retain it in this position. The free end of elbow pipe 29 is swung into registry with one of the openings 26, 26 of plate 24- depending upon the direction in which is desired to deliver air, lulotor 19 is not started and an 17 is operated with the result that air is drawn inward through the opening 21 and after passing through fan chamber 16 and elbow 29 is delivered. to one of the columns 6, 6 in suitable pressure and volume controlled somewhat by the damper 27, and issues from the outlets 7 and 8. lThe air issuing from the outlet 8 acts or tends to blow light material along the floor laterally of of the machine while the air issu from the outlet 7 has a tendency to blow the dust, rising from said lower air currents, also laterally and tends to prevent undue rising of said dust,

The outlets 7 are preferably located, as to height alcove th licor on which the machine is to operate with relation to the t of some part of a on which dust usually accumulates, as one oi the rails of a spinning frame, with the View that as this improved cleaner is moved along past a machine to be cleaned, dust and lint will he blown throughsaid machine to he cleaned as well as along the floor under said machine so that said dust and lint will accumulate in the next aisle, to be taken by this proved cleaner when operated through said next aisle as a suction cleaner.

laving thus described my invention 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent 1. A pneumatic cleaning machine of the nature described comprising a frame having a pair of wheels on which said frame is halanced, air inlet located transversely in front of said wheels, a pair of air outlets located hack of said wheels, an air chamber connected with said inlet, means to create current of air in said chamber and mes nisni for connecting said chamber w either of said outlets= 2. A pneumatic cleaner of the nature described comprising a frame ha side members, an air inlet mouthpiece at the ward end of said frame, a fan chanih pipe communicating with said moutl and with said fan chamber and haul it 

